Thanks so much for visiting us during our journey, Danny, Sally, Daniel and Carmen!
February 26, 2009
OK. You are stuck with me tonight. I think Sally is too pooped to type. Speaking of pooped…yes, we (Carmen) had it today. That was a major milestone. Only parents know and appreciate how much you celebrate the first poop :o) When you have a little girl that has not done it in three days, it makes you very happy…not to mention, it had to make her feel better. Considering the fact that she still does not like me I can only assume Sally would have made me do the “duty” if we would have had to seek ‘further means” to get her plumbing going. Can you imagine how much that would have improved the Daddy relations? Oh well, prayer and congee must have worked.
Today, we traveled to The Green Mountain Park. Within it is the highest point in Nanning City. The locals say that the lush green growth and the abundance of flowers send the city fresh air. Maybe they need a bigger mountain? Many years ago Sally and I traveled to California and I remember saying to her that it was like our noses were taking a vacation because the smells were so unusual. In California, we smelled redwoods, brussel sprouts, eucalyptus trees and grape vineyards. You could close your eyes and know that you were somewhere new. Well, it’s clear that our noses are on vacation again. Magnify every Asian restaurant you have ever been in by about 100 and you will be close. It is intoxicating! Everywhere you go there are unique shops and corner stands that are cooking up the local flavor. You can definitely close your eyes and know that you are a long way from home. What’s unusual is that it fits. It would be like having Memphis in May without the smell of all the BBQ. (Man, that’s a thought…I think I could eat an entire pork shoulder from Corky’s.) I hope you get the point that if you ever visit here…your nose is in for a treat that is indescribable. Back to Green Mountain…. it really is beautiful. The bus took us to a very high point and we only had to go up a few steps to a have a great view of Nanning City below us. I’m not sure if Sally has shared this prior but the time, energy and meticulous care and craftsmanship in everything the Chinese people do is beyond description. The Green Mountain Park was not a disappointment in that regard either. Of course, we soon found out that we were not quite at the highest point and off we went. Another very short bus ride and 149 steps later, and we were there. It truly was a majestic sight. Sally and Carmen stayed below and many of us braved the Pagoda --- nine stories tall. FYI, if you are 5’10” no worries…if you are 6’ watch your head. There is a very small circular staircase inside the structure that allows you to see a panoramic view of Nanning. If they sold t-shirts that said “been there, done that” I may have been tempted to buy one. Of course, there is no clothing in China that is my size. I bought a t-shirt at The Great Wall in a XXXL…it fits me like one of those Shania Twain tummy peak shirts, but I will still wear it proudly.
After that, we toured a Buddhist Temple area (also within this park). We actually saw many people going to temple to pray. They allow you to take all the photographs you want from outside the complex but inside the temple they do not allow it. I was able to take a few shots from the outside looking in but I can assure you that it does not begin to show you the beauty inside. The craftsmanship is breathtaking. We tried to look beyond our religious beliefs and just admire the architecture.
Once we left the mountain, we stopped by the “Sea Pearl” store. This is one of the local harvests that are indigenous to Nanning. I was able to take Carmen on a stroll while Sally shopped. Our goal was to buy her a gift that we can give her many years from now that is from her homeland. I think Sally got a few things too. But, gentlemen…it is a jewelry store that will not break the bank so I can’t complain. The U.S. dollar still goes a long way in China.
Another outing for the day was taking a taxi to the area in Nanning where Carmen was found as an infant. We wanted to see where her birth-mother had left her. On the way we traveled through some of the poorest parts of the area. I think we all owe it to ourselves to see things like this. (Here goes the soapbox.) These people live on so little and they seem to be so happy. I think of how abundantly we are blessed as a nation and how much we take that for granted. I will return with a renewed appreciation for everything we have. I hope this encourages you to consider your blessings and thank God for how blessed you are. Trust me, I saw true poverty and yet immense pride in the people. America needs a dose of gratitude. I’ve gained some. As best we could tell, Carmen was placed in a very safe place to make sure she would be well taken care of. We don’t want to say too much about this because those details will be hers to share if she so chooses one day. I will say that whoever placed Carmen there did it out of love. Sally and I are thankful for the calculated placement of this child that eventually led to the little girl we are bringing home. God is so good!
Today, Carmen and her new Daddy made great strides. She really likes me when we are around food, this girl is an eater. Considering we have that in common should go a very long way in developing our relationship. Along the lines of food, we had a very special treat today. A couple of the families got in a cab and found a local McDonald’s. Our new friend, Jen, knocked on our door and surprised us with the gift of…Chicken Nuggets. They never tasted so good and I think it was real chicken and not the processed stuff like back home. Sally and I had the pleasure of introducing Carmen to one of America’s favorites. McDonald’s Chicken nuggets in Nanning City…whoda thunk it?
Hopefully, Sally is more rested tomorrow and you can get back to more eloquent posts. Thank you again for all of your prayers and well wishes. We are truly on a journey of a lifetime and you are a major part of it.
Love to you all,
Danny
This is the 9 story pagoda on Green Hill Mountain that is the highest point in Nanning.
